Ankle/foot orthosis

Abstract

An ankle/foot orthosis with a foot part, which has a sole for receiving a foot, and with a shin part which, when fitted in place, bears on the frontal aspect of a shin and is connected to the foot part via a medially extending spring, wherein the spring, behind an ankle area, forms a hinge area that allows a movement of the shin part relative to the foot part in the anterior-posterior direction.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An ankle/foot orthosis, comprising:
 a foot part, which has a sole configured to receive a foot; 
 a shin part having an elongate gutter shape or cup shape that extends along a length dimension of a shin and having a greater length in the longitudinal dimension than a width in a medial/lateral direction, the shin part being configured to extend along and bear on a frontal aspect of the shin and is connected to the foot part via a spring, the shin part, foot part and spring being formed as separate pieces that are connected to each other with plug connections; 
 wherein the spring extends downwardly and in a posterior direction from the shin part to a portion of the spring positioned directly posterior of a rotation axis of an ankle of the foot, the spring extending from the portion of the spring in an anterior direction to the foot part, the spring forming a hinge area that allows movement of the shin part relative to the foot part in an anterior-posterior direction_ and wherein the spring has a smallest width measured in the anterior-posterior direction along the portion of the spring. 
 
     
     
       2. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plug connections are fixed with a form fit element or an adhesive bond. 
     
     
       3. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge area is designed to be torsionally stable about a proximal-distal axis. 
     
     
       4. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge area is designed to be flexurally stiff in a medial-lateral direction. 
     
     
       5. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spring extends obliquely upward in a dorsal direction from the foot part and extends obliquely upward in a ventral direction to a location posterior of the rotation axis of the ankle. 
     
     
       6. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spring has a lower section modulus in the anterior-posterior direction than in a medial-lateral direction. 
     
     
       7. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hinge area has a greater elasticity in the anterior-posterior direction than in a medial-lateral direction. 
     
     
       8. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shin part is flexurally stiff in a medial plane. 
     
     
       9. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shin part is elastic in at least one of a medial direction and a lateral direction. 
     
     
       10. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spring is curved in a medial direction with respect to a sagittal plane. 
     
     
       11. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shin part has a padding, and the padding is secured via pockets on projections or receiving regions. 
     
     
       12. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the padding has fastening elements, which are guided from a lateral side to a medial side. 
     
     
       13. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the spring adjacent to the ankle has the least stiffness against bending about an ankle-joint axis. 
     
     
       14. An ankle/foot orthosis, comprising:
 a foot part, which has a sole configured to support a bottom side of a user's foot; 
 a shin part having an elongate gutter shape and a greater length in a longitudinal dimension of a user's lower leg to which the shin part is connected than a width in a medial/lateral direction, the shin part being configured to bear on a frontal aspect of a shin of the lower leg; 
 a spring connecting the shin part to the foot part, the spring including a hinge portion that permits movement of the shin part relative to the foot part in an anterior-posterior direction, the spring extending downwardly and in a posterior direction from the shin part to the hinge portion, and in an anterior direction from the hinge portion to the foot part; 
 wherein the foot part, shin part, and spring are formed as separate pieces that are connected to each other with plug connections, and wherein the spring has a smallest width measured in the anterior-posterior direction along the portion of the spring. 
 
     
     
       15. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the plug connections are fixed with a form fit element or an adhesive bond. 
     
     
       16. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the spring has a width that tapers to a lesser width in the downwardly and posterior direction to a transition point, and tapers from the transition point to a greater width toward the foot part in the downwardly and anterior direction. 
     
     
       17. The ankle/foot orthosis as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein a portion of the spring is positioned directly posterior of a rotation axis of an ankle of the foot. 
     
     
       18. An ankle/foot orthosis, comprising:
 a foot part, which has a sole configured to support a bottom side of a user's foot; 
 a shin part having a gutter shape and being configured to bear on a frontal aspect of a shin of the lower leg; 
 a spring connecting the shin part to the foot part, the spring including a hinge portion that permits movement of the shin part relative to the foot part in an anterior-posterior direction, the spring extending downwardly and in a posterior direction from the shin part to the hinge portion, and in an anterior direction from the hinge portion to the foot part; 
 wherein the foot part, shin part, and spring are formed as separate pieces that are connected to each other with plug connections, and wherein the spring has a smallest width measured in the anterior-posterior direction along the portion of the spring.